CLEVELAND -- All three divisions will be represented Saturday night when the 81st Cleveland Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament begins at the Euclid Sports Plant, 20001 Euclid Ave., in Euclid at 6 p.m.

Junior welterweight Von Hunter from the CMHA/Lonnie Burten Recreation Center is the lone former champion on the card as he faces Diego Avila from the Rock Hard Cash Boxing Club at 141 pounds. There are four other novice bouts for boxers with fewer than 10 amateur bouts and four in the sub-novice ranks for first-time competitors.

The only open bout for experienced fighters is a 132-pound match between Anthony Wells, unattached, and Derrick Moss from the West Side B.C.

The next two preliminary rounds will be held in Euclid on April 10 and 11, with the finals in the North Hall at Cleveland Browns Stadium on April 18. Tickets are $20 and $30. Call 216-662-7445.

CLEVELAND -- Eric Watkins is a late bloomer when it comes to boxing. But the 29-year-old Watkins ended his first ring encounter early as he took the measure of Lorain's Jose Torres on Saturday night in the Cleveland Golden Gloves Tournament at the Euclid Sports Plant.

During the 152-pound sub-novice match between first-time fighters, Watkins used his steady jab to confound Torres at every turn. It forced referee Kamal Hasan to issue three standing eight-counts and then wave the affair over midway through the second round.

"I was so nervous, I did what I do on the bag," said Watkins, a recent Cleveland State graduate working in video production. "I didn't know what was going on and then it was over."

It ended because Torres could not figure out how to avoid getting hit on the nose. Torres, 17, said he also was dealing with a bad case of the shakes.

CLEVELAND -- Something had to give at 152 pounds on Saturday night in the finals of the Cleveland Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament.

Eddie Alicea was out to defend his title at Cleveland Browns Stadium and Brett Simmons, last year's titlist at 132 pounds, was out to take it away. The two 18-year-old fighters did their best to live up to the billing as one of the night's best bouts.

It definitely was for Alicea as he put on a business-like effort in winning the decision by outworking a game opponent.

"I don't take anything away from him, but I was at my natural weight and was just busier," said Alicea, a senior at Max Hayes High. "Every combination came off my jab. He caught me with a couple shots and he's really fast."

However, Simmons was not fast enough to keep Alicea from beating him to the punch too many times. Late in the first round, Alicea landed his first scoring flurry of blows.

That set the pattern of the bout as Alicea kept the pressure on for much of the time. While Simmons would pick off many of the punches, Alicea's fast hands showed him to be the aggressor and had to score points with the judges.

"I'm disappointed," said Simmons, a senior at Glenville High. "I would have done better, but I just got back in the gym three weeks ago."

While his speed was still apparent, boxing at the higher weight cost Simmons in the power department. Alicea also stuck to the game plan preached by his coach Francis Figueroa.

"I told him to stay with the jab and keep the pressure on," said Figueroa, who helps run the Old School Boxing Club in Ohio City. "He's a good boxer, but by [punching] first he gains confidence."

Alicea reached the semifinals of last year's national tournament. He said he will improve on that effort this time around at the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"This year I'm going to take it all," said Alicea.

Zeddie Adams, a two-time Junior Olympic national champion from Brush High, won the 141 pound open division title on a decision against Reginald Barnes from the Thurgood Marshall/Police Athletic League Gym. Adams, representing Cleveland's Salvation Army Boxing Academy, wore down his opponent as he took control in the second round.

Cleveland's Terrell Gausha, a champion at 178 pounds the past two years, picked up the 165-pound title on a decision against Wilkens Santiago from Lorain.

Also winning in the open ranks were Yuandale Evans at 132 pounds, Joshua Krosen at 178 and super heavyweight Stipe Miocic.

The open division winners will compete at the national tournament beginning May 4.